(Original post by geetar)
Tbh, nobody wins when it comes to the Star Wars prequels. Except George Lucas, I suppose.

Since all fans knew how the overall story was going to pan out it must've been difficult to produce a spectacle like they did with the originals.

Imo they should have made Chancellor Palpatine = Darth Sidious a little less obvious. But this was made difficult since the name "Emperor Palpatine" was dropped in the ROTJ novel, or so I've been told. Even so, it would've meant one piece was still missing in the prequels and non-hardcore fans could've enjoyed a big revelation when the Chancellor draws a red light-sabre and declares the first Galactic Empire.

(Original post by Nephilim)
Sidious would have won. Yoda, during this fight, was very exhausted mentally and spiritually from feeling the effects of Order 66 in the Force. Sidious, on the other hand, was full of energy.

Really, have we watched a different clip? Yoda regained his posture and withstood the force lightning attack by Sidious, who clearly let out sounds of struggle and distress.

(Original post by Reformed2010)
Really, have we watched a different clip? Yoda regained his posture and withstood the force lightning attack by Sidious, who clearly let out sounds of struggle and distress.

Yes, but you can see the strain on Yoda's face. And when you see him go to escape he clearly looks overwhelmed and exhausted.

It was at best (for Yoda) a tactical draw, at worst a minor defeat. Either way, it was strategically a complete loss for Yoda and the Jedi remnants, since in the one real opportunity to confront him directly, Yoda was unable to overcome the Sith Lord and indeed struggled to hold his ground.

One-on-one, Sidious was pretty much capable of taking on any of the High Council - indeed a few minutes previously in the film he cut down 3 of them in quick succession, only be trumped by a desperate Mace Windu. What would have happened had Kenobi, Windu and Yoda faced him initially and simultaneously is open for speculation; given Yoda's stalemate and Windu's narrow-but-brief victory over Sidious, had the High Council not been spread across the galaxy (Kenobi and Yoda in particular fighting Grievous on Utapau and directing the Battle of Kasshyyk respectively), Sidious may have been decisively defeated, but of course this was not the case.

In the novel behind the film, in the elevator to the Chancellor's office, one of the Jedi Masters remarks something wasn't right and he'd feel much more comfortable if Kenobi or Yoda was there with them... Shortly before they were sadly cut down by the Sith.

(Original post by Friar Chris)
It was at best (for Yoda) a tactical draw, at worst a minor defeat. Either way, it was strategically a complete loss for Yoda and the Jedi remnants, since in the one real opportunity to confront him directly, Yoda was unable to overcome the Sith Lord and indeed struggled to hold his ground.

One-on-one, Sidious was pretty much capable of taking on any of the High Council - indeed a few minutes previously in the film he cut down 3 of them in quick succession, only be trumped by a desperate Mace Windu. What would have happened had Kenobi, Windu and Yoda faced him initially and simultaneously is open for speculation; given Yoda's stalemate and Windu's narrow-but-brief victory over Sidious, had the High Council not been spread across the galaxy (Kenobi and Yoda in particular fighting Grievous on Utapau and directing the Battle of Kasshyyk respectively), Sidious may have been decisively defeated, but of course this was not the case.

In the novel behind the film, in the elevator to the Chancellor's office, one of the Jedi Masters remarks something wasn't right and he'd feel much more comfortable if Kenobi or Yoda was there with them... Shortly before they were sadly cut down by the Sith.

There's interesting discussion on the Mace Windu vs. Darth Sidious duel. Some people believe Sidious "losing" was a ruse. An old man laying on the floor defeated and seemingly defenseless and powerless would make it alot easier for Anakin to turn. And Sidious' "defeat" happens the second before Anakin enters the room.

(Original post by Dark Horse)
There's interesting discussion on the Mace Windu vs. Darth Sidious duel. Some people believe Sidious "losing" was a ruse. An old man laying on the floor defeated and seemingly defenseless and powerless would make it alot easier for Anakin to turn. And Sidious' "defeat" happens the second before Anakin enters the room.

I'm aware of this, but I think Windu got the upper-hand (even if he got a lucky break) because I don't believe even Sidious would willingly disfigure himself to such an extent unnecessarily.